Andy Rouse wrote: "To be truthful, a better method here is to take the 2x converter, place it gently on the ground so that it is bathed in lovely soft, evening light. Then paint your teeth red and smash it violently to pieces with a large baseball bat, cackling maniacally all the time at passers by. Go on do it, it will feel so good. Now before you think I have an issue against Canon 2x converters I don't! I hate ALL 2x teleconverters equally!!! I consider them a complete waste of space and money, it is always better to use a 1.4x teleconverter and crop. Of course that is just my view!"

That last sentence is opinionated twaddle from the Ken Rockwell school of creative writing. The MTFs for the 2xTC III on the 300mm f/2.8 II are, as seen in the collage I posted, very good and the contrast etc excellent. None of the photos he has posted, as good as they are, show very fine detail as you would see on bird plumage at high resolution. If he took such photos and compared a rezzed up 1.4 with a 2x he would see the advantage of the 2x - my 1.4x TC spends most of its time in its pouch.

I hate being cynical, but he has had the lens for 6 months and no doubt would like Canon's next toy for 6 months or so too. That does not tend to happen when one is too critical, or sometimes even negative towards the toys they offer.

Still, an interesting read, and I look forward to reading more from others.

I hate being cynical, but he has had the lens for 6 months and no doubt would like Canon's next toy for 6 months or so too. That does not tend to happen when one is too critical, or sometimes even negative towards the toys they offer.

Still, an interesting read, and I look forward to reading more from others.

Andy Rouse is very famous for being exceptionally outspoken about the Canon 1D MkIII AF issues, until then he was a solid Canon shooter, he very publicly trashed the camera, and Canon, and moved to Nikon. He has since grown up a bit. He didn't get on with the Nikon D4 very well and when he compared the Nikon's he was using to some loaner 1DX's and the MkII Super Tele's he ate a bit of crow, said he was above such petty behavior as comparing manufacturers, dumped all his Nikon gear and now shoots exclusively Canon.

He has said, leading up to this, for his work the MkII tele's and the 1DX are the best available, he has also said he buys his own cameras.

Logged

Too often we lose sight of the fact that photography is about capturing light, if we have the ability to take control of that light then we grow exponentially as photographers. More often than not the image is not about lens speed, sensor size, MP's or AF, it is about the light.

As someone who will never own this lens (or any other super telephoto), I can only admire the photos and learn by hearing from someone who does wildlife photography for a living. Graphs, MTF's and peeping don't interest me. I like to learn about the practice of photography and what enables him and others to get the shot like those leopard shots in difficult light. And capturing the moment the way he does which I suspect is more than just having a 1DX and a fast, long lens.

I hate being cynical, but he has had the lens for 6 months and no doubt would like Canon's next toy for 6 months or so too. That does not tend to happen when one is too critical, or sometimes even negative towards the toys they offer.

Still, an interesting read, and I look forward to reading more from others.

Andy Rouse is very famous for being exceptionally outspoken about the Canon 1D MkIII AF issues, until then he was a solid Canon shooter, he very publicly trashed the camera, and Canon, and moved to Nikon. He has since grown up a bit. He didn't get on with the Nikon D4 very well and when he compared the Nikon's he was using to some loaner 1DX's and the MkII Super Tele's he ate a bit of crow, said he was above such petty behavior as comparing manufacturers, dumped all his Nikon gear and now shoots exclusively Canon.

He has said, leading up to this, for his work the MkII tele's and the 1DX are the best available, he has also said he buys his own cameras.

No, he specifically stated that he purchases all his gear, whether that is always true, true now etc etc, I could not possibly know. The real point is he seems to value his tools, and his output, more than any manufacturer loyalty, and he has waked the walk previously.

Logged

Too often we lose sight of the fact that photography is about capturing light, if we have the ability to take control of that light then we grow exponentially as photographers. More often than not the image is not about lens speed, sensor size, MP's or AF, it is about the light.